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| Fiera di Bozoum: la mamma di Hyppolite (Concorso orti) Foire de Bozoum: la maman de Hyppolite (cooncours jardins potagers) |
From one Fair to
another one.
On February 1st,
afternoon, the 12th Bozoum Fair was over. The conclusion was just a
brief ceremony, introduced by a short play created and presented by the
students of our “St. Augustine” high school. I was amazed at the capability of
reflection and criticism with regard of certain aspects of society in Central
Africa. In this play a group of villagers goes to discuss with the village
headwoman about some bad habits of people, like selling off WFP food received
by NGO’s, or selling off agricultural tools received as a gift for just few
coins, or like when they receive the nets, and the people instead of hanging
them on their beds they use them to fish or to work in the fields. So, the
message is clear: if we receive something, let's not waste it, instead use it in
the way it should be. It’s behaving in the right way that our village can grow!
After the short play, it's time for the awards for the best exhibitors and the
best gardens. The prizes: some agricultural tools, and medals for the top 10. I
have to say: how much pride in the simplicity of those faces and those hands.
When everything is over we take a look at the proceeds in money. We find out that
between sales of agricultural products, together with the extra gain from restaurants
and bars, the amount in money of all business
this year is about 20 million f CFA ( 30, 000 EUR ). It’s not bad for
these times of war.
Monday I leave
for Bangui taking Alessio, a bricklayer, on his way back to Italy. While there I
welcome some special guests: Fr. Giustino, our Provincial Superior with his
advisers Fr. Franco Rudasso, Fr. Marco Pesce and Fr. Davide Sollami, pretty
much the Government of our religious Province. They came on this 5th Centenary
of St. Teresa of Avila Birthday, our Foundress, in order to express the
affection and closeness to all of us. The friendly visit is marked by moments
of prayer, meetings, personal dialogue, sharing of projects, and analysis of
our situations. On top of all commitments we had also moments of relax and laugh.
The Bible says, "How good and how
pleasant it is for the brothers to share time together”.
Thursday morning
we move at 5.00 am from Bangui. We left so early because we wanted to avoid the
barriers of antibalaka. On Monday before, opposite today’s direction, I took
the courage to put down one of these barriers, 26 km from Bangui, because they
claimed I would have to pay for if I wanted to go ahead. After a brief stop in
Bossemptele, at noon we reach Bozoum. Here too, we have to face meetings and
meetings, but without forgetting a tasty pizza. Saturday we leave heading to
Baoro, where we meet Fathers Renato, Lionello and Dieudonné.
Sunday morning
we drive to Bouar and once introduced our Visitors at St. Elijah convent, I go
downtown in order to visit the Fair which, as Caritas, we organize each year. I
can see large crowd, farming Cooperatives, and even some Organisms and members
of UN. All these in my feeling are seeds for present and future consistent
hope.
Here I share a
link to a few short videos of Bozoum Fair:
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| Alessio |
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| Celebrazione al Carmel (Bangui) |
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| Con l'Arcivescovo di Bangui |
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| le risaie di Bozoum le riz à Bozoum |
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| Fiera di Bouar Foire de Bouar |
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